Whispers In The Sand Part 21

'He was there. He sympathised and he pointed the finger at me. I can see the scenario, Anna. I can see it clearly.' He sat forward suddenly. 'Why would I want the diary, tell me that? He's the wheeler dealer. He's the man who has the contacts.' He looked up at her. 'Well? I asked you a question. Why would I want it?'

She shrugged. 'It's desirable. It's a historical artefact. It has Louisa's sketches. It's worth a lot. . .' Her voice trailed away.

'It's worth a lot of money!' He echoed. 'I don't need money, Anna. And I don't want Louisa's diary. Is that clear?' He glanced at the cabin window. 'Now, you'd better go.'

'Toby, I'm sorry.'

'Go!' The implacable coldness was back in his eyes.

She grimaced and turned towards the door. As she opened it she turned back to him. 'I am sorry,' she repeated.

'So am I.'

'Can we still be friends?'

There was a moment's silence then he shook his head. 'I don't think so, Anna.' Outside in the pa.s.sage she stopped and took a deep breath; to her chagrin she was near to tears. Turning, she fled down the corridor.

Behind her Toby's cabin door reopened. He stepped out and looked after her. 'Anna!' he called.

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Ignoring the shout she ran up the stairs and headed back towards her own cabin. Throwing open the door she ran in, hurling it back on its hinges so that it slammed against the wall, rebounded and closed behind her. With a sudden frantic gasp, she stopped dead.

The cabin wasn't empty. The air was heavy with the sickly smell of resin and myrrh.

Standing in the middle of the floor was a shadowy figure, tall, insubstantial, but unmistakable in its bearing. Anhotep half turned towards her and she felt his eyes searching for hers as slowly he began to raise a thin wispy hand towards her. Anna screamed. Her whole body had gone cold. She couldn't breathe. Desperately she tried to turn back to the door, to move, to tear her eyes away from his, but she couldn't. Something held her where she was. She could feel her legs beginning to buckle, strange red lights beginning to flicker behind her eyes. As she started to fall the door was pushed open as Toby flung himself into the cabin behind her. 'What is it? What's wrong? I heard you scream.' He stared round frantically as he caught her hand and swung her towards him. 'Anna, what is it? Was there someone here?'

Behind her the cabin was empty.

'Is it Watson?' He pushed her away, more gently now and, stepping across the cabin, pushed open the shower room door. There was no one there and nowhere that anyone else could be hiding.

'No, it's not Andy. It's Anhotep the priest.' She was trembling violently. 'You read about him in the diary. The priest who haunts my little scent bottle. He was in here. Standing here!'

She indicated a spot on the floor about two feet in front of her. 'But the bottle has gone. Andy took it away with him. She was shaking so violently that her teeth were chattering. Slowly she collapsed onto the bed and sat looking up at him. There was a long pause and she wondered suddenly if he was going to laugh; to ridicule her every word.

He pursed his lips. 'Andy Watson's name seems to crop up rather a lot in our conversations, doesn't it?' He stared round the small room again. 'Have you seen this apparition before? Didn't you see something on the boat this morning? Is that what you saw? The priest?'

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Relief flooded through her. He believed her! He didn't think she was insane. She nodded.

'You told me the bottle was cursed. But you never told me how or why. Why didn't you mention all this when we read about it in the diary?'

'And have you think I'm mad? What do you think would happen if a story like this got round the boat? "Woman pa.s.senger sees Ancient Egyptian priest!" Either everyone would panic and go home or they'd have me sectioned or at the very least I'd become a laughing stock.' She put her head in her hands. 'I can't take much more of this.'

'Does anyone else know about it?'

She nodded. 'Serena.'

'And what does she think?'

'She believes it. She knows quite a bit about Ancient Egypt. She's studied its religion and rituals. She knows what to do. She was going to take the bottle and bless it or something, but then Andy took it away.'

'Why on earth did you let him?'

She shrugged. 'He just walked off with it. I suppose I was taken by surprise. I could hardly wrestle him for it. He said he was going to keep it safely for me.' Toby sat down beside her. 'I think it's more likely he plans to flog it,' he said cynically.

'He'd have to buy it off me first.' Anna shook her head and gave a watery smile. 'And as he thinks it's a fake, he wouldn't offer very much!'

'Unless he sold it as genuine.' Toby sighed. 'And in the meantime we haven't solved the problem of the whereabouts of the diary.' He glanced at his watch. 'It is almost lunchtime. Can I suggest that a meal in a crowded dining room would be a good thing for both of us? Very grounding. And no ghost would show himself there. We can cool off and rethink the situation and study Watson's behaviour. No harm is going to come to your scent bottle or to the diary wherever they are. Not as long as they are potential money earners. My guess is he has them both and he'll take care of them.' He paused, waiting for her nod. 'And then we have an afternoon free before we all go to Abu Simbel tomorrow. So during the afternoon I suggest we talk to Serena. If your ghost is genuine and I have no reason to suspect otherwise, we need to consult her 251.

obviously about what steps can be taken to keep you safe from any paranormal repercussions. Perhaps at the same time we could have a council of war about recovering the diary and thereby -' he paused and gave her a wry grin - 'clear my name, once and for all.'Anna and Toby and Serena held their council of war at the Old Cataract Hotel, sitting on the terrace over a pot of Earl Grey tea. Only when they were settled in their chairs, facing out across the Nile, did anyone mention the reason they had left the boat.

'Did you see Andy's face when the three of us went ash.o.r.e together?' Serena was absent-mindedly stirring her tea. 'He lost his famous sang-froid. To me he looked distinctly worried.'

'As well he might.' Toby sat forward and studied Serena's face for a few moments, then he nodded. 'Anna tells me you know about the old Egyptian ritual. By that I take it you have studied modern spiritual techniques and magic based on Egyptian texts?'

Serena met his eye steadily. 'I've studied with Anna Maria Kelim, if you've heard of her.'

Toby shrugged. 'I took a bit of an interest in these things when I was younger. I'm not an expert, but the name certainly rings a bell. The important thing is that you know what you are doing. I suspect Anna's ghost or ghosts are not going to be deflected by a bit of New Age chanting.' He leant back in the chair. 'Anna says you're good. Do you think so too?'

Serena didn't say anything for a moment, clearly taken aback by his direct approach. Her instant initial indignation subsided as swiftly as it had come. After a few seconds thought she nodded slowly. 'As long as Andy's not around. He is very good at disempowering me. I've never worked in Egypt before. Never even been here. All I can say is that I have a little experience of rescue work back home - you know what rescue work is, don't you?' She glanced up at Toby as he picked up his cup and was in time to see him give a curt nod.

'He may, but I don't,' Anna put in quietly.

'It means someone who works with earthbound spirits and helps them move on. Most "ghosts" if you like to use that word are lost. Trapped. Unhappy. They don't want to be here. Some of them, if they died violently, suddenly, don't even realise they are dead.

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n.o.body came to collect them or look after them. I have worked with one or two cases like that and helped them move on.' Serena sounded more confident now she saw she had an audience who respected what she had to say. 'I have never worked with a spirit, however, who has chosen to remain earth-bound because it has unresolved business here. They are the scary ones. Out for revenge. Out to do mischief. Still involved with the world they have left. Unable to let go. Anhotep and his colleague are like that. And they are not just ordinary ghosts. They were trained priests, with knowledge of one of the most powerful occult systems ever known. They probably chose not to die.'

There was a short silence. Anna s.h.i.+vered. The warmth of the terrace, the cheerful groups of people languidly chatting over their tea cups, the waiters, the stunning picture-book view of the Nile, all seemed suddenly to distance themselves, acquiring a strange feeling of unreality.

'And what has happened to the colleague? The second priest?' Toby put in after a moment. 'You haven't mentioned him.'

Anna shuddered as she recalled Louisa's terror and her own at the apparition of Hatsek, the priest of the lion-headed G.o.ddess. 'I've seen him. And so did Louisa, at the temple. He seemed the more powerful, the more evil of the two.'

Toby grimaced. 'You still believe us?' Anna looked at him.

'You don't think we're mad?'

'No, I don't think you're mad. I've seen ghosts.' Toby did not smile. 'Our culture is very foolish to dismiss out of hand anything it can't prove with an algebraic formula or a test tube. Luckily most other cultures of the past and many today are far wiser than us in the West. The trick is to ignore the materialists in our world and go with our gut feelings and our intuition. And those of us who have the courage of our convictions because we have that intuition or because we have seen something with our own eyes must for the time being risk ridicule and carry the rest.'

Serena put down her cup with a small clatter and shook her head in disbelief. 'I can't tell you how it cheers me up to hear you say that!'

'And me.' Anna gave a small hopeful smile.

'Good. Well, having rallied the troops we'd better decide what we are going to do.' Toby sat forward, concentrating. 'We only 253.

have a few hours before we leave for our trip to Abu Simbel. As you know the coach leaves in the early hours so we can travel through the desert before the worst of the heat. We have several days to cruise back to Luxor when we come back, but my guess is that Anna would like this resolved now, before we go to Abu Simbel, rather than later. And don't forget, there are two things on the agenda. Besides Anhotep we have the all too material problem of the missing diary.'

'You don't think they are related? You don't think that Anhotep has somehow taken the diary?' Serena asked thoughtfully. She was still stirring her tea.

'No, I don't. Why should he? I think Andy Watson has taken it. Perhaps we could raid his cabin rather as you raided mine.' He glanced across at Anna.

She blushed. 'He shares a cabin with Ben. It wouldn't be easy.'

'Not as easy as searching mine, you mean?' He grinned mischievously. 'Agreed. But with three of us we could arrange some kind of distraction, I'm sure. It would be very unpleasant for everyone on the boat, to have to tell Omar and perhaps get the police involved, so if it's possible I think it would be best to resolve the matter ourselves.' Pausing, he looked at Serena. 'If you are prepared to do an exorcism or whatever you choose to call it, when do you think that should happen and what would we need?'

Serena thought for a moment. 'We really do need the scent bottle itself to act as a focus. Other than that I need some time to prepare myself. I brought the things I need with me for my own spiritual practice. Incense. Candles. A bell.' She shook her head. 'I haven't been able to use them, of course, sharing with Charley. I'll do it in Anna's cabin and I suggest we do it tonight. If we have to leave so early in the morning, everyone will go to bed early and we won't be disturbed. And Toby, don't be angry but I don't think you should be there. I think this is just for Anna and me.' She looked at him apologetically. 'I may be wrong, but I have a feeling that we would be safer, just the two of us. Just women. Women are de facto servants of Isis. Women are less likely to come to harm.'

Toby nodded. 'I'm not going to argue. As long as you think you'll be safe.'

Serena shrugged. 'I hope we'll be safe.' She sighed. 'I'm hoping a lot of things here.'

There was a moment's silence.

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'So, the next step is the raid on Andy's cabin to rescue the book and the bottle.' Toby drained his cup. 'One of us can search. The others can make sure Andy or Ben don't come back and catch them.' He looked across at Anna. 'I suggest you search. You have had practise at it.'

'I have apologised, Toby!' Anna flashed back at him, suddenly impatient. 'How long are these digs going to go on? I am sorry. I was wrong to listen to Andy. I was in such a panic about the diary. I had no reason to think for a single second he might have taken it-'

'But you were happy to suspect me.'

'No. I wasn't happy. Not at all happy. Just as I wasn't happy even considering that Andy's accusations about you might be true!' She had obviously touched a raw nerve. 'I just couldn't think of any other possibility. You were the only person who knew about it.'

'Apart from Andy himself.'

'Apart from Andy.'

'And Charley and Serena and probably every other person on this boat.'

Anna shut her eyes with a deep sigh. 'OK. I'm doubly sorry. I grovel. Please, Toby, we need your help. Don't give me such a hard time.'

No doubt one day he would feel able to tell her what it was all about. Until then she would just have to trust him and wait.

He looked at her for a long moment, then he dropped his gaze.

'No, you're right. I'm the one who should be sorry. I'm a bit over-sensitive on some matters. OK. Let's go. We may as well start right now. If Andy has gone ash.o.r.e we can search his cabin straightaway without any ha.s.sle.'The door was locked.

'd.a.m.n!' Toby shook the handle.

'Try your key.' Anna glanced nervously over her shoulder. Andy and Ben were, it turned out, sailing.

Toby fished in his pockets and eventually retrieved it. It didn't fit.

'Yours?' He looked at her.

She already had it in her hand when Ali appeared at the end of 255.

the pa.s.sage. He came towards them. 'Problem?' He flashed them a brilliant smile.

'We need to get into this cabin.' Anna knew it was no use pretending. He had obviously seen them.

'OK.' Ali dived into the deep pocket of his galabiyya and came out with several keys on a ring. 'This one opens all. Very useful. Mustn't lose your key.' He unlocked the cabin door and pushed it open then turned and shuffled away down the corridor in his flat loose sandals.

'Phew!' Toby looked at her and grinned. 'He didn't want to know why we needed to go in!'

'Probably thought it was ours.' Anna stepped inside and looked round. The cabin was cheerfully untidy, littered with discarded clothes and shoes. A camera stood on one of the bedside tables, a bottle of water and various toiletry articles on the other. On one bed lay two guidebooks and some postcards, on the other an inside-out sweater and a crumpled damp towel.

'It will be hidden. Drawers. Suitcases. Down the back of something.' She was pulling open the dressing table drawer and didn't notice the quizzical look Toby threw in her direction. Methodically they went through all the obvious places, searched under the mattresses, in the wardrobe, in the bathroom, even behind the framed David Roberts prints hanging on the walls.

'No sign anywhere.' Anna shook her head.

'They have to be here. He wouldn't take them sailing. It's too much of a risk.' 'Then there must be somewhere we haven't thought of.' She turned round slowly, trying to think of some last place, somewhere subtle - somewhere obvious. 'It's not here. Neither of them is in here.' Miserably she shook her head. 'We've searched every square inch.'

'Have you indeed!'

The voice in the doorway brought her up with a jerk. She and Toby spun round. Andy was standing in the doorway, staring at them. 'May I ask what exactly you are searching for?'

'I hardly think you need to ask!' Toby had straightened from looking through the contents of one of the bedside table drawers, this time inserting his fingers right down the back. 'Anna wants her diary back, and her scent bottle.'

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'And you think I have them?' Andy was looking very flushed. They could smell beer on his breath.

'I know you have the bottle, Andy and I want it back. And I suspect you've got the diary as well.' Anna fought to keep her voice calm. 'I think you accused Toby this morning to put me off and it worked for a while. But not now. Give them back to me, please.'

'I've put the bottle somewhere safe, which is what you should have done in the first place! But to dare to come here and accuse me of taking your diary! That is outrageous!' Andy was working himself up into a self-righteous rage. 'Get out! Get out now!' He caught Anna by the arm and swung her towards the door. 'Go on. Get out!'

'Leave her alone, you b.a.s.t.a.r.d!' Behind him Toby stepped forward.

Letting go of Anna, Andy reeled back.

As he turned away Toby caught him by the shoulder and spun him round to face him again. 'Don't you touch her!' The aggression in the cabin was palpable.

'Toby!' Anna screamed. 'No!' She s.n.a.t.c.hed at his arm. 'Don't! Leave it! What's the matter with you all? Why is there so much anger on this boat?

Toby's expression was furious. He shook Anna off. his fists clenched.

'Toby!' Anna shouted again. 'Toby! Don't! Please!'

Toby paused. For several seconds the three of them remained unmoving, as if frozen in a tableau on a stage, then slowly the fire went out of Toby's eyes and he dropped his fist. He pushed Andy away.

Andy sat down on the bed. His face was white.

Anna glanced at Toby. 'I think we'd better go.'